President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has initiated the commencement of a groundbreaking project; the construction of a cutting-edge Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) Technical Training and Jewelry Centre at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), situated in Tarkwa.
This initiative, funded by MIIF, is a pivotal partnership agreement with UMaT, formally sealed on August 16, 2023. The agreement encompasses several key components: the establishment of a state-of-the-art Technical Training Centre, incorporating a contemporary Gold jewelry-making and Training Center; a comprehensive scholarship program targeting women from mining communities, spanning a decade; and an annual speaker series aimed at fostering dialogue between academia and industry.
Scheduled for completion within eight months, the center will boast a 500-seat auditorium, lecture halls, a well-stocked library, and administrative offices. It will facilitate practical programs in metal smithing, jewel technology, and the standardization of jewelry hallmarking to international benchmarks. Moreover, the center will delve into the realms of artificial intelligence and smart systems in mineral value addition.
Addressing attendees at the sod-cutting ceremony in Tarkwa on May 3, 2024, President Akufo-Addo underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to fostering a robust and sustainable mining sector. He emphasized the center’s role as a nucleus for excellence in mining-related education, research, and innovation, nurturing the next generation of skilled professionals crucial for industry advancement.
The President expressed confidence that the Technical Training Centre would cultivate a new cadre of proficient jewelers, equipped not only with technical expertise but also with entrepreneurial acumen to elevate Ghana into a continental hub for jewelry production.
In addition to benefiting UMaT’s students and faculty, President Akufo-Addo anticipates that the center will catalyze advancements in the mining industry at large, providing cutting-edge training and research facilities essential for technological innovation and the adoption of best practices.
George Mireku Duker, Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem and Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, lauded MIIF for its collaboration with UMaT, foreseeing heightened academic excellence and industry relevance for the university. He emphasized UMaT’s pivotal role in producing seasoned mining professionals who have significantly contributed to both operational and policy spheres within the African mining landscape.
The construction of the center is poised to propel UMaT to global eminence in training professionals for the downstream segment of mining and allied industries, complementing Ghana’s mining sector growth trajectory.
Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, Western Regional Minister, expressed gratitude to MIIF for sponsoring the training center, highlighting its potential to equip Ghanaian youth with the requisite technical competencies vital for the mining industry’s workforce.
Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. Ntim Fordjour, hailed MIIF’s initiative, envisioning a transformation in Ghana’s mineral value chain through the deployment of cutting-edge technologies and artificial intelligence in jewelry production.
Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the imperative of value addition to Ghana’s mineral resources. He lauded MIIF’s initiative as a potential game-changer, poised to unlock significant economic opportunities for Ghana through enhanced value realization in the mining sector.
ABOUT MllF
MllF is Ghana’s sovereign minerals fund mandated by the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act 2018, (Act 978) as amended, to maximise the value of dividends and royalties income accruing to the Republic in a beneficial, accountable and sustainable manner and to monetize Ghana’s mineral wealth in a manner that will secure the future wealth of the country.
At present, MllF receives royalties from at least ten minerals currently being mined in Ghana including Gold, Manganese, Limestone and Diamonds. MllF has equity stake in Asante Gold Corporation, a Canadian company trading on the Canadian, Frankfurt and Ghana Stock Exchanges. All of Asante Gold’s assets including the Bibiani and Chirano gold mines are domiciled in Ghana. The Fund also recently invested in the lnjaro Venture Capital Trust Fund targeting the value chain delivery process for Ghanaians in mine support services. MllF is also at the closing stages of an equity investment into Atlantic Lithium, an Australian company which has discovered commercial quantities of Lithium in Ewoyaa in the Central Region of Ghana.
Source:myonfotoday.com
